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Week 1: What a Horrible Night to Have a Curse
Week 1: What a Horrible Night to Have a Curse Year 735, First Moon, First Day When we left off... As the fog cleared, the Party was deposited on Old Svalich Road 'with only one way to go... west. They passed through the looming '''Gates of Barovia, '''that that opened for them like the mouth of a hungry dog (and not a good doggo, either). The scent of death could not sway them from their path, as they pressed on for shelter before nightfall, which they found in the '''Village of Barovia '- a bleak, nearly empty town with only the faintest hint of life. Flat faced peasants peered at them from second floor, barricaded windows. The haunting sobs coming from within an unassuming townhouse was the first thing investigated - inside, the group found '''Mad Mary, a despondent woman who wept for her missing daughter, Gertruda. The teenager had broken out of the house a week ago, and Mary fears the worst for her. All she has left of hers, is a doll bearing the tag "Is No Fun, Is No Blinksy!". This was rated a meer "D+" on the scale of things that the party does. Back near the town square, the group passed by Blidrath's Mercantile in favor of the Blood of the Vine Tavern. Wine was procured from the flat-toned Arik the Barkeep, and hardly touched before Ismark Kolyanovich invited them to drink with him! Ismark was the first real bit of life to be found in this land. His intent did become clear with light-to-no prodding... he is looking for brave adventurers who can escort his adopted sister Ireena Kolyana to somewhere safe, like the village of Vallaki. Strahd '''has taken some special interest in Ireena, which is why Ismark fears for her. After the party agreed to help (after determining this was perhaps the kind of thing they do, but only in exchange for an introduction to the '''Burgomaster) he was willing to answer questions about Barovia, and a bit about the apparent soullessness common to many inhabitants of it. The Burgomaster, Ismark Kolyanovich (Sr) was indeed in his Mansion... lying in a homemade coffin, dead. He had died three days past, but her and Ismark could not find anyone who would help take him to the cemetery for a proper burial. This was clearly the kind of thing that the party was into helping with, and they carried the coffin up through town before the dusk turned entirely to night. The local priest, Donavich, was found in a heavily battle-torn church in mad prayer. Screams from the basement revealed his shame and concern - his son, Doru, who had been turned into a vampire spawn following a failed assault on Castle Ravenloft a year past. Donavich believes that the Morninglord will make clear to him a way to cure his son, without destroying him. Regardless of his son's condition, he declared that they would bury the deceased Burgomaster at dawn, in accordance with the proper rites. The party was shown to rooms where they could rest until then. Around Town... The night is seriously dark and majorly full of terrors.